ITV or SKY Digital?

D

Damian

Guest
Hi,

Currently subscibe to the ITV Digital full package but now tempted by the full Sky Digital offering.

The packages are not really that different though, so is it worth going through all the hassle of changing? Is there much difference in quality? Also, do you have to have to have the Sky digibox wired into your phone and is it worth it?

I'll lose my ITV digibox if I change but I'm tempted to hang on in - they may go bust and I'll get to keep the box for just free-to-view (then change over).

Has anyone been in the same position and can advise a novice like myself.

Thanks in anticipation.
 
There are tons more channels on Sky digital and what makes you think you can keep the box if ITV Digital goes bust?

The liquidators will own the boxes and will need to realise the value of any property.

:cool:
 
Originally posted by Damian
Hi,

Currently subscibe to the ITV Digital full package but now tempted by the full Sky Digital offering.

The packages are not really that different though,


Thanks Damian, I was feeling a little low and that line really cheered me up:)
Take a look on this page, and select the A1 and P1 options to get a reasonably accurate idea of the channels on SKY D.

SKY Channels

The current £1 offer runs out at the end of the month but I would be surprised if something similar didn't take it's place. Be advissed you can have SKY D for £1 and pay the first month at full price (£37) and then downgrade to a lower priced package for the rest of your minimum 12 month sub.
Also the digibox is yours, when you finish with SKY they do not take it back so you can still access a lot of FTA and FTV channels.
 
Starburst

I thought when u sign up on a special offer u have to keep the £37.00 package for 12 months. Do u know of anyone who has downgraded after 1 month? Also is it possible to change your package up and down, say during the summer no footie so change to basic package and the upgrade in Sept.

GBMITIE
 
Personally I don't know anyone that has done it but the practice of paying one month at £37 and then dropping to the £16 package for the rest of the year has been done. I've read posts in other forums and the SKY related newsgroups confirming this, the contract for the £1 offer only states you have to be a subscriber to a SKY package for 12 months and the wording implies it has to be the £37 package, it is not the case:)

No problem changing your subscription package at any time either up or down just make sure SKY get their sums right when you downgrade. When I dropped movies and sports I ended up ringing them just to confirm how they calculated the credit due since it was applied to the following months subscription.
 
gbmitie

I signed up to SkyD on March 11 using the £1 offer, paid £37 for the 1st month, rang them up on April 10, down graded to the £16 a month package no problems. Sky were happy to do this and confirmed that I owe them no more money for installation.

Really is that easy.....;)

Electrolyte
 
I use (and am v happy) with NTL Dig. Have the box in the lounge but have ITV Dig in the other main room - mainly only used for FTA anyway (CBeebies to be honest).

I was going to swap the ITV Dig for another NTL box but they've just up'ed the price to £15 a month and charge £50 installation.

This morning a friend of mine phoned SKY to sign up for the full package at £37 (which he wanted anyway) the girl actually told him, without promting, that he could downgrade after the first month - even down to the £10 package. Needless to say after he finished talking to them I signed up too. They're installing it on Saturday and their basic channel packages are quite extensive anyway. For the £13 a month I pay ITV Dig I'll get a much better selection.

Just need to cancel ITV Dig now - that should be fun.

Cheers
OG
 
There's an awful lot more to this than simply the amount of channels available. Sky certainly has many more channels of utter garbage than ITV Digital, that's for sure!

The original question mentioned the subject of plugging into the phone. This would be a major issue for me as the phone point is two rooms away and I don't fancy, however neatly it's installed, yet more cabling running all over the place. The phone plug-in is mandatory for 12 months - does this mean I could rip it out after 12 months and 1 day?

I must admit one of the annoying things about ITV digital is that the Sky channels are not shown in widescreen, therefore such stuff as the Premiership football on Sky Sports and Buffy etc. on Sky 1 is only available 4:3 on ITV-D. I assume these channels are anamorphic widescreen on the Sky platform? Can anyone confirm?

Also, what is the story with that red dot in the top right corner of Sky 1? What's all that about and can it be eliminated - it would be enough to prevent me from subscribing because it is so distracting that the programme is virtually un-watchable.
 
Looks like its SKY you need.

ITV digital was wound up this morning. Expect the pay channels to go off-air today and make sure you cancel your direct debits.
 
Sky I need? Well maybe it might work out that way, depending on the answers to my questions above!

If it has to be plugged into the phone indefinately, and if that bloody red dot is a permanent feature, then I'll settle for the free to air channels I reckon.
 
The red dot can be removed by pressing the 'Back Up' button on the remote.

The dot will reappear after advert breaks, but it only takes one button push to remove it.

If you want to take advantage of the promotional prices on Sky installations or you want Sky+ then you do have to keep it connected to a phone line for 12 months.

There are people who say that they have not connected it to a phone and had no problems, I guess it is a risk you have to decide on for yourself, but not connecting to a phone will put you in breach of the Sky contract.

Mark
 
Thanks for that Mark. I have no problems with the phone line thing as long as it's only for 12 months....As a matter of interest, does anyone know the installation fee charged if you choose not to agree to the contract (I was under the impression it was about £350?)

As for the red dot - annoying, but if it can be disabled as you say then I suppose I can live with that (I assume it would appear on any video recordings of programmes until the back up button is pressed?)
 
If you use Sky+ then the red dot is not recorded, I would presume that if you use a normal VCR then you are stuck with the red dot.

Mark
 
To get rid of the red dot on a permanent basis while u are watching is as follows: a) and b)

a)
" While watching a programme when the red dot appears, press the red button and then backup a split second later, the red dot will not appear again until u change channels.

b) " To record a programme without the red dot is a bit more complex and I need to check it out but here is what u do. If u want to tape something on say S*Y1 and u know the redot is likely, u should get the channnels under the add channels and use that for taping, no red dot.

gbmitie
 
Originally posted by redlester
The phone plug-in is mandatory for 12 months - does this mean I could rip it out after 12 months and 1 day?


yes.
but I dont think anyone has ever had anything done
by not having the phone connected in the first year...

I must admit one of the annoying things about ITV digital is that the Sky channels are not shown in widescreen, therefore such stuff as the Premiership football on Sky Sports and Buffy etc. on Sky 1 is only available 4:3 on ITV-D. I assume these channels are anamorphic widescreen on the Sky platform? Can anyone confirm?

football and some other sports are in widescreen.

sky1 is rarely, if ever in widescreen so no to buffy/angel.
buffy is in widescreen when on BBC2 though.
 

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